1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to washing machines, and more particularly, to industrial spray washers comprising apparatus assemblies having a hot gas wash solution heater operating in combination with an endless belt horizontal conveyor which functions to move the items to be washed through the apparatus in a continuous and uninterrupted operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,103,936 two side by side washers are disclosed. Each of these two washers has its own individual fire tube heat exchanger disposed within a washing solution tank. The fire tube traverses an S-shaped path or passage from its heating source through the washing solution so as to heat the liquid therein. It is subsequently ducted upwardly so as to effect a secondary heat transfer to a liquid spraying chamber area located above the level of the spray, prior to being vented as the products of combustion through a flue adjacent the spray area.
The prior art wash solution heater just described has in practice proven quite efficient, that is in doing the job for which is was designed, namely, for heating the solutions in each tank with a minimum of wasted thermal energy. Notwithstanding such efficiency, however, such heater has involved, as indicated above, at least two co-acting systems comprising two heat exchangers, and two burners or means for separately and independently heating each of the two exchangers: with one fire tube being required for each of the two solution reservoirs or tanks.